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Intergenerational Knowledge Exchange (INTERGEN)

Rationale

Each generation has to deal with its own obstacles, but also has its own know-how. So how can we bring different generations together so that knowledge and experience are shared? Which tools and methodologies are best suited to this venture? The INTERGEN project is being developed to look at HOW this can be achieved to link and empower junior and senior people with visual disabilities.

What did INTERGEN achieve?

Highlighted the technical skills held by the young and elderly visually impaired by making a Diagnosis of informal skills and know-how mastered by blind or partially sighted elderly and young people

Designed a model entitled “INTERGEN – Sharing knowledge between visually impaired people” for intergenerational workshops, including a Workshop organisation and facilitation manual and a Skills handbook.

Widely disseminated the INTERGEN model and encouraged its implementation by third-party organisations.

Who is it for?

Young and elderly visually impaired (VI) people in Europe.

Staff members at training centres and other organisations of VI youth willing to enhance training opportunities by introducing the intergenerational dimension.

Staff members at retirement homes and organisations working with VI elderly persons willing to propose innovative, enhancive and user-friendly activities to their clients.

Visual impairment organizations throughout Europe anxious to take up the challenge of age-related sight loss which is becoming ever more pressing with the aging of the European population.

Who implemented the project?

The project was designed and conducted by the European Blind Union (EBU), a non-governmental organisation with 25 years' experience in promoting the interests of blind and partially-sighted Europeans. It involved five other partners from the EBU network: the German Federation of the Blind and Partially Sighted, the Italian Union of the Blind and Partially Sighted, the Italian Institute for Research, Training and Rehabilitation, the Turkish Federation of the Blind, and the Turkish Six Dots Foundation.